the crusty sandwich

Its a spoon

I would love to see these in a range of materials. Wood wood wood!

But this is great simple kitchen design. Its not trying to solve some perceived problem. They are what they are just a little bit better.

SERVING SPOONS BY RAN LERNER Via MOCO loco.

plate design and half solutions [utensils]

Design has become something any one can do. I have done it and some of it is even good. But design recently seems to be focused on a solution to a problem that can be solved by, for example that brief respite you get by putting your drink down while you compose your self for an introduction. Or in the case of most of my friends dropping every thing but your  drink and having a big hug and stuff.

Take this. Via Mike Davidson.

Its a great idea and a well thought out solution. Until you think “gee I have more than 5 friends” So if your BBQs run into figures that reach more like the 30s then you will be dropping some serious coin on these things. Does that make it bad design? Yes. If you disagree where do you put a beer, a water, a Pimms and ginger etc…? Its bad design. Here is another example.

The “to become one, table and seats” has two parts, the sack, which is formless,  and the construction of the frame. By reinforcing each other the two parts become one. The sacks defy to form and play, just like the sand on the beach.

My comment was blocked for probably asking the obvious “the selection of materials does not seem right for something trying to associate with the beach” maybe those at dezeen have a better idea of what design is? But I don’t think so.

Here is another example

Via dezeen as well. The designer claims

Gillian Westley has created a range of cooking utensils that don’t leave a mess on worktops.

Assuming we are all cooking the same none de-script paste the above cook seems to be brewing up. Its not bad design but it is not good design either. I think I am going to coin it a “half solution to not a very real problem”.

need a hand?

Chef blows off hands dabbling in ‘molecular gastronomy’
Published: 13 Jul 09 12:17 CET
An experimental German chef accidentally blew off both his hands attempting to concoct a “molecular gastronomy” dish with liquid nitrogen, a newspaper report said on Monday.

I am still undecided about molecular gastronomy. Basically I am a Chef trying to return to his roots when it comes to food. I can see the appeal of it from Chefs world wide who are bored with cooking chicken, beef, fish etc…

But this is a convincing argument against it.

Neolithic Knives

From designer Matthias Kaeding.

I can imagine using one of these to skin an animal would actually be easier than a modern boning knife. Not sure about preparing food for five hundred though.

Via Gizmodo.

Mypressi espresso wand

This could well save my bacon the next time I am in a mall or airport and just can’t face that muddy water they serve up as a long black. Thank you Mypressi.

The Twist, from the startup Mypressi, doesn’t look like much: a handle with an orb, it resembles a personal massager. There’s a double spout familiar from most espresso machines, and a trigger on the handle, but there’s no cord, because there’s no need for power. Instead, the Twist uses a standard carbon dioxide cartridge to force water through the filter basket – the 9 bar pressure comes entirely from the cartridge, which is regulated by a sophisticated mechanism hidden in the handle. Squeeze the trigger and a perfectly dosed espresso streams out of the spouts, a 30-second extraction with a rich crema.

129$ US

Via Diner’s Journal.